If, like me, you have never had the opportunity to be initiated into
seamen’s lingo, you might not appreciate the importance of this event. Maybe I wish I didn’t either....

The week started off gently enough. We had our last sight of land
during daylight in the northern hemisphere, Ilha Fogo of the Cape
Verde archipelago. The air was thick with tropical heat as we passed
it – a colossal active volcano looming over us through the haze.
Those on board who’ve made this trip before ( most of ‘em!) say that it’s
even more impressive on a clear day. We sailed on into the evening,
and off the coast of Senegal I noticed that the birds who’d been hitching
a lift with us were all gone. Maybe they were given a hint that King
Neptune’s Court was about to be convened!

For the uninitiated, King Neptune’s Court is convened on the crossing
of the Equator, in order to “try” all those on board who are unable to
provide documentary evidence that they’ve already made it over “The Line”.

King Neptune is accompanied by his wife, Queen Amphitrite, and this was noted in The Faerie Queene written in 1590 by Edmund Spenser:

First came great Neptune with his threeforked mace,
That rules the seas and makes them rise or fall;
His dewy locks did drop with brine apace,
Under his diadem imperial:
And by his side his Queen coronal,
Fair Amphitrite, most divinely fair,
Whose ivory shoulders were covered all,
As with a rope, with her own silver hair,
And decked with pearls, which th' Indian seas for her prepare.
These marched far afore the other crew.

On a ship, that is. Preparations begin days in advance, with top-secret
planning and costume-making “meetings” in the bar going on late into the
night. There are a lot of costumes to prepare; King Neptune is traditionally
accompanied by his wife and The Judge in court. Helping the King
to apprehend the victims were 4 “policemen”, and helping to administer
any “sentences” are the “medical team” (don’t ask....)

There were 7 of us to be “tried”, and we were advised to find hiding
places early on. The “Police” would be after us. We had to
be on our guard all week against answering suspicious-sounding questions,
as lists of “charges” were being drawn up.

We crossed the equator in the early hours of Thursday morning – but
we were given a morning’s grace to case out our hiding places.

At 1pm the Captain greeted King Neptune on boardClick to enlarge

I didn’t see it of course, curled up as I was (and sweating it out) underneath the floor hatch in the fo’c’sle. Chris (3rd mate) and I were not there very long when we were rumbled, but we were ready with a fully loaded Super-Soaker! A valiant attempt was made to blast our way to the deck, but like rats in a trap, there was no way out. We had to go and pay our respects to The King.

Some of the others found much better hiding places; locked into
the stationery cupboard, underneath the potato-cleaner in the galley, hiding
behind the control panel on the Bridge. One by one they too were all brought to The Court.

Above: The Court of King Neptune, with the King (Tracy Macaskill), the Queen (a very fetching Neil Sullivan) and The Judge (Craig Paice). Click the image for a larger version.

Appeals are all in vain. One or two resourceful defendants even produced letters detailing why they were unfit to stand trial. Neptune, needless to say, was unimpressed. After pronouncing judgement, the victims are treated to some “medicine”
(mmmm – Tabasco and chillies?) and then have a few buckets of fermenting slops poured over them. But then it’s all over, and we were all presented with a certificate which will be looked after very carefully – it’s the only guarantee against being a victim again!

After the event, everyone still alive and well!Click to enlarge

Late on Wednesday night we passed Fernando de Noronha (also in the northern
hemisphere!), and now we’re moving down the coast of Brazil. The
weather has been fantastic and we’ve been treated to some magnificent sunsets. The Monkey Island on top of the Bridge offers the best views; the light shifting gradually around a 360 degree horizon.

Fernando de Noronha is an isolated group of volcanic islands
located in the South Equatorial Atlantic at 03°51' South and 32°25'
West, approximately 215 miles from Cape Sao Roque in the state of Rio Grande
do Norte and 340 miles from Recife, Pernambuco. The main islands are the
visible parts of a range of submerged mountains. Consisting of 21 islands,
islets and rocks of a volcanic origin, the main island has an area of 7.1
square miles, being 6.2 miles long and 2.2 miles at its maximum width.
The perimeter measures 37.2 miles. The base of this enormous volcanic formation
is 2480 feet below the surface. The main island, from which the group gets
its name, makes up 91% of the total area; the islands of Rata, Sela Gineta,
Cabeluda and Sao Jose, together with the islets of Leao and Viuva make
up the rest. Geological studies indicate that the islands were formed around
2,000,000 years ago.

CLIMATE

The climate is tropical , with two well defined seasons: the rainy season
from January to August, and the dry season for the rest of the year. The
heaviest rains occur between March and July, sometimes reaching almost
8 inches in 24 hours in March and April. October is the driest month, when
rainfall will not be greater than 0.36 inch in a 24 hour period. The average
temperature is 77°F, with a variation of only 7.4°. The hottest
months are January, February and March. The relative humidity varies little
from 81.5 % due to the islands characteristics. Average annual sunshine
is 3.215 hours per day, with a maximum in November and a minimum in April.

LAND VEGETATION

The land vegetation of the islands is made up mostly of vines and bushes
with a few species of trees, principally represented by the Nyctaginaceae,
Bignoniaceae, Anacardiaceae, Rubiaceae and Euphorbiaceae. There are also
a great number of bushes and herbs not native to the island. Most noted
among the bushes is the wild bean Capparis cynophallophora and the burra
leiteira Sapium scleratum (native), that produces a caustic sap capable
of causing serious burns on men and animals. Among the herbs are noted
the jitiranas Ipomea spp. and Merremia spp. , which are harmful climbing
vines. Besides these, some fruit trees have been introduced on the island,
such as the papaya, cashew, banana, tamarind, caja, guava, graviola, etc.

Various ornamental species have been introduced also, such as the almond
Terminalia catappa , the royal poinciana Tebebuia impectiginosa , caraiba
and serratifolia, the jasmin manga Plumeria alba , the eucalyptus, the
coconut palm, in small numbers, and the carnauba Copernica prunifera ,
appear rarely.

MARINE VEGETATION

Compared to the Brazilian coastline , there is not a great variety of
aquatic plants on Fernando de Noronha. This emphasizes the uniqueness of
the marine ecosystem of these islands, to which few species have been able
to adapt. Perhaps it is due to the lack of nutrients basic to the growth
of these algae, since warm currents poor in organic material are characteristic
of Fernando de Noronha.

LAND ANIMALS

As occurs on other isolated oceanic systems, the land fauna of the Archipelago
Fernando de Noronha presents an exuberant bird life, much richer than the
vertebrate groups such as amphibians, reptiles, and mammals, which are
represented by only a few species.

The archipelago is home to the largest bird breeding colonies of all
the islands of the Tropical South Atlantic. Among the species found here
are the viuvinha Anus minutis , which builds it's nest in the trees and
on the cliffs of the islands, using algae collected from the surface of
the waters; the viuvinha grande anus stolidus ; the trinta-reis-de-manto-negro
Sterna fuscata ; the viuvinha branca Gygis alba , a pure white bird which
lays its eggs in the forks of tree branches; the mumbebos Sula dactylatra
, the brown mumbebos Sula leucogaster , the red footed mumbebos Sula sula
; the catraia Fragata magnificans and the red beak rabo-de-junco Phaethon
aethereus (both of these are noted for their extremely long tail feathers).

Inland there are a few land birds , such as the sebito Vireo gracilirostis
; the cocoruta Elainia spectabilis and the pomba avoante Zenaida auriculata
noronha . As for the reptiles, there are two species of turtles: the aruana
or green turtle Chelonia mydas , which uses the islands as its area of
reproduction and feeding (herbivorous) and the young individuals of the
Eretmochelys imbricata which use the islands for feeding and growth. Likewise,
there are two species of lizards: mabuia Mabuya maculata (native) and the
teju Tupinambis teguxim , which was introduced to feed on the rats, but
prefers other prey such as the eggs and young of birds and turtles.

MARINE LIFE

The Archipelago Fernando de Noronha hosts ecologic sites ideal for an
exuberant marine animal life, due to its geographic location far from the
continent and well within the path of the Southern Equatorial Current,
as well as the nature of its climate, a fact clearly proven in various
experiments. Over the years separate studies have discovered 168 families
of molluscs, 72 species of crustaceans, and a large quantity of ornamental
fish both native and migratory.

In 1988 approximately 70% of the archipelago was declared a National
Marine Park, with the goal of preserving the land and marine environment.
It is administered by the IBAMA. Towards its goal research projects are
being developed, such as: recording native and migratory bird species both
marine and land; studying the behaviour and reproduction of the golfinho
rotador Stenella longirostris ; the ecology and reproduction of the crustaceans
of the upper, middle and lower coast; shark research and the TAMAR PROJECT
(marine turtles). These subjects are offered to the tourists each night
at the visitors center of the project, nearby the headquarters of IBAMA.

Today Fernando de Noronha is a model of environmental preservation,
existing side by side with small scale tourist activities, which are limited
by the existing facilities. Permanent works built by the ONG's and Foundations,
contribute to the perfecting of the conversational policies.

HISTORY

Many controversies surround the discovery of Fernando de Noronha. The
map of the area sent in November, 1502 to Ercole d'Este, Duke of Ferrara,
shows the archipelago as the "Ilha da Quaresma" (Isle of Lent). From this
it was supposed that knowledge of the existence of the island dated from
the expeditions which passed near them during Lent in 1500, 1501, or 1502.
The Viscount of Santarem attributed the discovery to Gaspar de Lemos, the
captain of the supply ship in Cabral's fleet, sent back to Portugal in
1500 with the news of the discovery of Santa Cruz (Brazil). However, Gaspar's
ship did not pass through the area of Fernando de Noronha during Lent;
rather, after sailing the coast of Brazil and cutting brazilwood , Gaspar
could have sighted the archipelago on June 24, the day of the festival
of St. John, whose name he could have given to the island.

Duarte Leite , after lengthy research, attributed the discovery of the
island to the 1501-1502 expedition, whose command mistakenly attributed
ownership of the island to Fernao de Loronha. Portuguese historian Jaime
Cortesao infers there must have been another expedition to Brazil in 1502-1503,
an expedition unknown except for a few clear remains. This would explain
the questions as to the mention of the island on maps of the period. This
expedition would have been under the command of Fernao de Loronha, who,
by this account, personally began the taming of the land he received as
payment for the Brazilwood he brought back from Brazil. It is in the course
of this voyage that, according to Duarte Leite, Fernao de Loronha he would
have discovered the archipelago named for him.

Differing opinions aside , what is certain is that the first to describe
the island was Americo Vespucci, who travelled in the expedition of Goncalo
Coelho in 1502-1503. By the Decree of February 16, 1504, Dom Manuel I granted
Fernao de Loronha the archipelago, making this the first hereditary land
grant in Brazil. This system of land grants was later inaugurated on the
mainland of Brazil between 1534-1536, when Dom Joao III established no
less than 14 such grants along the coast in favour of twelve grantees.
The descendants of Loronha continued to receive title to possession of
the island by royal decree until his great-great-grandson, Joao Pereira
Pestana in 1692.

In 1534 , the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago was invaded by the English,
and from 1556 until 1612, it was held by the French. In 1612, Claudio de
Abbeville, a Capuchin missionary, landed on the island and found one Portuguese
and seventeen Indian men and women who had been banished from mainland
Pernambuco.

In 1628 , Noronha was invaded by the Dutch, who were displaced two years
later by the expedition commanded by Rui Calaza Borges according to the
January 14, 1630 order of Mathias de Albuquerque. In 1635, the Dutch, under
the command of Admiral Cornelis Cornelizoon Jol, attacked the island again
and occupied it for nineteen years. During this period, the island was
used by the Dutch as a site for a treatment and convalescence base for
its troops, a third of whom in Pernambuco suffered from diseases such as
scurvy and dysentery. The Island became known as Pavonia , in honour of
Michiel de Pauw, one of the directors of the Dutch West Indies Company.
In 1646, the Dutch built a small fort on the high ground at the site of
the later Forte de Nossa Senhora dos Remedios (Fort of Our Lady of Medicines).

The Royal Writ of September 7, 1696 ordered the island occupied and
garrisoned and the best sites selected for fortification to avoid the constant
invasions. However, this order was not obeyed and the Atlantic territory
continued at the mercy of invaders.

On September 24, 1700 , by order of a Royal Writ, the Capitania of Fernando
de Noronha reverted to the crown and became part of the Capitania of Pernambuco.
Finding it uninhabited and completely abandoned in 1736, the French East
Indies Company took the island and renamed it Isle Dauphine .

In 1737 , at the order of Governor Henrique Luis Pereira Freire, 250
police led by Lt. Col. Joao Lobo de Lacerda decisively occupied the island
without resistance. To frustrate further attacks by the French, the forts
of Nossa Senhora dos Remedios, Nossa Senhora de Conceicao and Santo Antonio
were constructed.

The church of N. S. dos Remedios , a landmark of the re-population of
the island, was completed in 1772. About this time, the first prisoners
were sent to the island. Initially, prisoners were sent only occasionally,
but this development prompted preventive measures which profoundly altered
the island environment. Vegetative cover was destroyed and trees were felled
to prevent escapes and to eliminate hiding places for inmates; and, non-native
species were introduced to the island. Consequences of these changes remain
visible today.

In 1739 , the forts of Sao Joao Batista dos Dois Irmaos and Sao Joaquim
do Sueste. By the Royal Writ of August 16, 1755, Angola came to contribute
the annual sum of $4,000,000 to cover the expenses of the fort of Fernando
de Noronha, a subsidy which continued until the eve of the proclamation
of the independence of Brasil. In 1789, the Portuguese government planned
to install an agricultural colony on the island, hoping to make it less
dependent on the royal treasury. But this idea was not accepted by the
then-governor of Pernambuco, Dom Thomas Jose de Melo.

In 1837 , on the occasion of Pernambuco's republican revolution, the
provisional government directed Capt. Jose de Barros Falcao de Lacerda
to demolish the fortifications of the island and to return its prisoners
to the mainland. In 1822, Col. Luis de Moura Accioli assumed command of
Fernando de Noronha and the island continued as a part of Pernambuco, its
internal affairs administered by Pernambuco's Ministry of War. In 1865,
regulations governing the island were promulgated and in 1877, the administration
and custody of the island was transferred to the Ministry of Justice. In
1865, Emperor Pedro II signed new orders governing the island.

After the proclamation of the Republic , Baron de Lucena was offered
the Ministry of Justice, but demanded as a condition of his acceptance
of the post that Fernando de Noronha be returned to the control of Pernambuco.
Thus, the island was returned to Pernambuco by Decree 1.371 of November
14, 1891.

In 1897 , the government of Pernambuco took control of the penitentiary
at Fernando de Noronha and converted it to use as a state prison. It remained
under state control until 1938, when Brazil's federal Ministry of Justice
paid CR$ 2,000,000. for it and converted the island to use as a political
prison and penal colony.

At the beginning of the 20th century , the English arrived to provide
technical cooperation in telegraphy (The South American Company) . Later
the French came with the French cable and the Italians with Intalcable.
In 1942, during World War II, the archipelago was made a Federal Territory,
and political and ordinary prisoners were sent to the prison there.

In 1943 , a new federal decree called for administration of the archipelago,
which had been in the Ministry of War, by a Governor of the Federal Territory
of Fernando de Noronha . On August 23, 1943, Col. Tristao de Alencar Araripe
became the first governor of the new Federal Territory. Noronha was administered
by the Brazilian army until 1981, by the Brazilian air force until 1986
and by the High Command of the Armed Forces until 1987. Most of the infrastructure
on the island, including the airport, roads, schools, and hospital, date
from this period of military administration. Agreements between Brazil
and the United States allowed for the stationing of Americans on the archipelago
from 1942 to 1945 (the Second World War) and from 1957 to 1962 (satellite
tracking station operated by the U. S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration).

In 1987 , the Federal Territory entered into a period of civilian administration
by the Ministry of the Interior. This period, the only civilian administration
in the history of the Federal Territory, lasted until 1988, when the new
Constitution of Brazil reannexed the archipelago to the State of Pernambuco.
Now, it is administered as a State District by a General Administrator
appointed by the governor of Pernambuco and approved by its state legislature.

Today , Fernando de Noronha survives on tourism, restricted by the limitations
of its delicate ecosystem, and traditional fishing, the catch being returned
to the island for local consumption. In addition to the historical interest
noted above, the archipelago has been the subject of the attention of various
scientists dedicated to the study of its flora, fauna, geology, etc. One
of the earliest works was published over 100 years ago by Pocock (1890).
Later works have been published by Bjornberg (1954), Lopes e Alvarenga
(1955), Almeida (1958), and Paiva (1967), among others.

In December, 1995 , the constitution of the archipelago was promulgated,
and in March, 1996, the first election was held for the District Council,
a representative forum which is the local government for the archipelago.

There have been other reasons to be out on deck. Chris Handy
(3rd Officer) has spotted a UFO, and this was videotaped by
Malcolm Inch (2nd Engineer) who then treated us all to a home video of
it (for those interested, he’s holding the copyright…) and some of us have
been out watching the birds. Groups of up to ten “boobies” have been following
the ship on and off for a few days. These birds look very similar
to gannets, and hover in the eddies around the ship before plunging into
the sea. Sometimes when a bird slices into the water a shoal of flying
fish erupts from the surface – an amazing sight!

These will become fewer and fewer as we move into colder waters – and this time next week we’ll be in Montevideo!

Sunset over BrazilClick to enlarge

As Gavin mentions above the Ernest Shackleton is due into Montevideo
on Saturday 23rd November. Whilst in Montevideo there will be a crew
change and the current crew will be departing the vessel for home and leave
on Sunday evening. My thanks to Gaving for the Crossing the Line article.

Next weeks web page may be a day or two late in production due to the crew change.